Image bu ChrisO

Even if you’ve already started writing your script,
here are 5 easy things that you can do in order to make it better.

First, sum up your movie in one line.

Can you tell me what the story is about in a sentence or two?  That’s what movie executives will want, and that’s what you’ll have to give them.  Time is money, and if you can’t tell me the idea in one line, then it isn’t a strong idea.  Go back to the drawing board and tighten it up.

Second, make sure your main character is as solid as possible.

Does she come across as a real person with real issues?
Will the audience care about the ordeal that you’re about to put her through?
Who will want to follow her on her journey?

Third, build the structure of your story so that it is sound.

Do this by putting your scenes on note cards and pinning them to a wall.  How do they flow?  Make sure that the key scenes are happening in the correct areas of the script.  For example, does the main character cross the first threshold and begin whatever adventure you’re sending her on between page 25 and 30?  Does she seem to lose everything, with no hope of getting what she wants between pages 85 and 90?  These are the types of things that script readers and executives will be looking for, and if they don’t see them there, they’ll reject your script before you can type in FADE OUT.

Fourth, make sure the conflict is rising steadily throughout the script.

The note cards will help with this step as well.  Two hours is a long time to sit in the dark staring at a wall, and if the tension and the drama aren’t escalating to a crescendo, then you will lose your audience.  It might happen half way through the movie, or a quarter of the way through, but it will happen.  Actually, you won’t have to worry about losing the audience, because you’ll lose the reader or executive before it ever gets made, which, of course, will lead to it not getting made.

Fifth, give it a cool title.

This may sound simple and trite, but a good title helps sell the script.
Is the title short and sweet enough to easily fit on a marquee?
At the same time, is there enough there to give the reader or executive an idea of what the script is about?

Think about these 5 things.

If you have satisfactory answers for them, then you’re well on your way, and happy writing.  If not, you’ve still got some work to do before you can start working.